Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Via MSNBC, here is Stewart Baker, who worked at the Department of Homeland Security as its first secretary of policy under President George W. Bush, and had this to say regarding the TSA controversy:

“Instead of making this Wednesday National Opt-Out Day in which a bunch of self-appointed guardians of liberty slow down the line for everyone by asking for pat-downs,” said Baker, “maybe what we need is a day when everyone who goes through the line says, ‘Thanks for what you do.

We're not going to argue the merits of what Baker is suggesting you do on pain-in-the-ass Wednesday as that is not what grabbed us but rather it was the (in our humble assumption) snide "self-appointed guardians of liberty" swipe.

At the end of the day and especially with respect to the TSA debate, who the hell does Baker feel are the guardians of liberty? Is not Baker familiar with the words and larger context of "We the People"?

And this is why we have spent as much time on this subject, because it is a debate regarding liberty and it is we the people who are initiating it. It is also a debate regarding national security and the most effective means of screening so the bad guys cannot get on the plane.

The American people, contrary to what Baker may think, are doing exactly what they should be doing right now: Questioning authority. And right now, authority has been doing a pretty piss-poor job of justifying these new enhanced TSA security measures.

If We the People, do not behave in an ungovernable fashion and ask difficult questions of the people who work for us, then who the hell is?

What is happening right now is precisely what should be happening in a healthy and vibrant democracy? While newspaper editorial boards across the country are telling us all to just shut up and bend over, the American people are demonstrating that demanding accountability of those in authority is no longer solely an election year exercise.

To paraphrase the First Lady, we've always been proud of our country but we are exceedingly proud, right now.

As always, be exceptional and...

(Correction: Anon, in the comments, alerted us to the fact we had quoted the wrong person. It is indeed Stewart Baker to whom we will direct the ire if not the full and glorious intention of this post - that is for you our dear friends. The post has been amended to reflect the same. Thanks, Anon.)